On the one hand citizens are facing problems to buy sacrificial cattle due to inflation and on the other hand the dangers of Congo virus is hovering over their heads. Health experts have said that on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha the lives of citizens may be threatened by the Congo virus.
Like all over the country the prices of cattle in the markets in Peshawar and other areas of the province are very high while the expenses of the traders in the market and the expensive fodder are also seen. The markets of cattle in different cities of the country are decorated but the proportion of buyers in the markets is very low.
There are many animals in the markets but there are few buyers. In the cattle market of Peshawar the price of some bulls has been set at least 3 million. In addition the prices of goats and sheep in the famous goat market of Peshawar are also being charged very high and the sellers are asking for 150,000 rupees per pair. Sheep or goat is being sold for 60 to 80 rupees.
On the other hand in the big animal markets set up on the ring road, the local traders have kept the people under their noses. These local profiteers are buying cattle from Punjab traders and selling them at arbitrary rates without any check and balance from the administration. Due to which it is becoming difficult for the citizens to sacrifice cattle this year. Apart from this concerns have also been expressed about the spread of Congo virus from sacrificial animals to buyers and traders because most of the cattle have neither been vaccinated nor sprayed.
The SOP’s issued by the experts citizens need to take various precautionary measures while going to the market to buy animals. It should be remembered that many diseases are transmitted from animals to humans, these diseases include hi-date, toxoplasma, Congo virus and others. According to the precautions that need to be taken to protect against these diseases any person going to the market should cover their entire body and should wear long-sleeved clothes. Also closed shoes should be worn with socks. Exposed parts of the body should be treated with insect repellant solution and the body should be thoroughly checked on return from the market.
If a lice is found on the body then it should not be rubbed on the body but it should be removed from the body and after that one should take a bath and wear clean clothes.
According to the experts Congo is a viral hemorrhagic virus that spreads from animals to humans. Congo virus can be transmitted to humans by touching the body of an infected person.
Therefore, citizens going to the market need to wear thin gloves as a precaution so that animals do not come in direct contact with their bodies and avoid contact with such animals.
However, along with the implementation of these precautionary measures by the citizens the district administration and the health department also need to take mandatory measures to deal with any emergency situation.
Especially in cattle markets spraying should be continued regularly and arrangements should be made to identify sick animals and isolate them and treat them or dispose of them. Although such ideal measures have not been seen in the country so far but if this matter is taken up at the national level then such measures can be taken in the future which can protect the lives of humans and animals.
Along with this, there is a need to introduce the rule of buying and selling animals according to weight throughout the country so that no trader can charge more than the citizens reach. In this regard the local commissioner and his subordinate staff can play a role but so far no such method has been adopted in which the minimum or maximum price of each animal is fixed but it could be possible in the future.
